The Doctor's Idea of Domesticity
by iamtheoncomingstorm
Summary: The Doctor froze. He knew that voice. He would always remember that voice. He stood up and turned toward the voice. "Oh, my God. Is that really you? Doctor?" She had barely finished her question before the Doctor caught her in a fierce hug. "Doctor! You're crushing me!" Rose exclaimed, laughing through her tears... "...Rose Tyler, I love you." (not sure when this will be fin.)
1. Chapter 1

"I love you," Rose Tyler choked out. It played like a broken record in the Doctor's head. No, it was what happened next that took the Doctor's mind by storm: "and I suppose, if it's my last chance to say it…Rose Tyler," and then the nothingness. The sadness the Doctor felt was like nothing before. Sure, he had lost people he loved, but he loved Rose. And she loved him. Donna was a bit of a distraction, he supposed, but not enough to stop the hurt. It was years before his encounter with Martha. It took him so long to recover, and his heart was still sore. He spent that time between trying to get to Rose. He debated punching a hole in the universes and saving only himself and Rose, but he knew Rose would never forgive him for that.

"Doctor," said the voice beside him. "Doctor! Listen to me, you stupid Time Lord!" The Doctor turned to the girl beside him. Martha, if he was remembering correctly. She rarely spoke in such rude terms, so he must have spaced out-no pun intended-for quite some time.

"Oh, yes, sorry. Where were we?" The Doctor scratched the back of his head, a confused look masking his sadness. "Better question, when are we?" The Doctor looked around, seeing nothing but zeppelins and—the Doctor's confused demeanor dropped. He knew exactly where they were.

"I dunno, you're the one who brought us!" Martha snapped. "It took me almost an hour to get your attention! What is wrong with you? It's like you were flying the TARDIS asleep!"

"That's because I was, Martha," he said, face turned towards the zeppelins. "Why are we here, though, is the real question. We shouldn't be able to get here. Not in a trillion universes should we be here. It's impossible!" The Doctor started forward, talking a mile a minute. "You see Martha, I've been here only twice before—twice! This kind of thing, it's impossible! I shouldn't have been able to come a third time—hey, I shouldn't have been able to come the first time! Where is she then, huh? Where's Bad Wolf? She's the one who brought us here, I'm sure of it." The Doctor was running now, Martha trying hard to keep up.

"I haven't a clue what you're saying, Doctor! Who's Bad Wolf? Where are we? Doctor stop running! I have questions!"

"Of course, you do, Martha, but this is more important. This," the Doctor stopped running in front of a little flat. "This is her home, Martha. Well, it was a few years back. Well, in our universe. But, if I am very, very lucky-as I tend to be-she lives here now in this universe."

"Whose house is it, Doctor?" Martha's anger spiked as the Doctor left her on the sidewalk. "Doctor! What are you doing, Doctor?"

The Doctor stood, still as a statue, staring at the door. Before he even lifted a hand to knock, it was opened. The Doctor could only stare at the sight before him. A little boy, three or four years old—he supposed it was Jackie and Pete's kid, if only it didn't look so much like him. The Doctor kneeled so he was at eye level with the kid. "And what's your name, then?

"Gawifway," the little boy responded. The Doctor was nearly certain the boy said Gallifrey (he couldn't be certain, though-the TARDIS didn't translate baby talk well). It broke his heart but healed it in a way he couldn't quite understand.

"I'm the Doctor. Is your mummy home?" The little boy peered up at him with strong brown eyes, the same shade as his own. "You're a sweet tyke, aren't you? Can you get someone inside to come talk to me?" The little boy nodded, waddling off and calling for his mummy in a sing-song voice.

"What is it, Rey?" A voice answered. "Did you open the door again? I told you to stop doing that!" Footfalls grew louder as the speaker neared the open door. The Doctor stood again, his expression stern. "No. It can't be! Is that really you, Doctor?" Jackie Tyler exclaimed, looking at the Doctor.

"It's really me, Jackie."

"Oh, come here, you!" Jackie enveloped him in a hug, nearly collapsing his lungs. "I can't believe you're here! Oh, just wait until Rose gets home from Torchwood! She'll be thrilled!" After releasing the Doctor, Jackie patted the little boy on his caramel-brown hair. "And this, Doctor, is little Gallifrey."

"Yeah, the little tyke himself told me." Doctor smiled down at Gallifrey. "So, you said Rose is at Torchwood right now? When does she come back?"

"Yeah, she's at Torchwood. She comes home in just a bit. Come in, Doctor, have some tea. And invite whoever that is too. Who is she, anyway?"

"OH! Right, sorry. Jackie, Martha, Martha, Jackie. Is Pete home?"

"No, he's on a business trip to France. He goes by Peter now, though."

"Right, right. And I assume Gallifrey is yours?" The Doctor asked. He was apprehensive of the answer. If Gallifrey was his, it meant Rose lied at Bad Wolf Bay. If he was Jackie's, then he wasn't the Doctor's. "Little tyke from the end of the world?" The Doctor said with a laugh.

"You really think I'd name my kid Gallifrey? Really, Doctor, how stupid are you? No, Rey is Rose's boy. She didn't tell you in Norway?" Jackie laughed a bit. "Although, I'm glad you think I'm young enough to still have kids." The Doctor's face turned stormy, his brown eyes carefully guarded. He had figured, when he saw the little boy, because he looked so much like his current self, but it was still a shock. "Anyway, Doctor, I think you should come in for a cup of tea. You've got nothing better to do than wait for Rose, anyway. Come in, Martha, was it?"

The Doctor studied Gallifrey closely. He supposed it had been several years since Doomsday. He just assumed Rose would have said something. In a way, she did, but not truthfully. She said the baby was her mum's. "How long is "just a bit," Jackie. When exactly is Rose supposed to be home?" The Doctor asked, but Jackie and Martha were already in the kitchen. It was only the Doctor and Gallifrey. His son. "Hello, Gallifrey. Do you know who your dad is?" It had been so long since the Doctor had a family. He was afraid of it, now, because he had to kill them all in the Time War. For nothing, because the Daleks were still out in the universe, alive. But his people were not.

"No. Mummy said Daddy twavews." Gallifrey smiled. Of course, Rose said that. She didn't want to upset her son but couldn't tell him the truth. And if Gallifrey was the Doctor's son, that meant he was a Time Lord, which was scarier than anything else.

"I'm not the only one, anymore, am I, Gallifrey? God, that name is awful, isn't it?" The Doctor laughed a bit. "Not many options for nicknames, is there?"

"I rather like the name, thank you," said a voice behind him. The Doctor froze. He knew that voice. He would always remember that voice. He stood up and turned toward the voice. "Oh, my God. Is that really you? Doctor?" She had barely finished her question before the Doctor caught her in a fierce hug. "Doctor! You're crushing me!" Rose exclaimed, laughing through her tears.

"Good. I'm never letting go of you again, my Rose Tyler."

"Not even to help me re-name Gallifrey?" She laughed.

"Oh, alright, maybe. Goodness, Rose, I love you."

"Say that again, Doctor," Rose commanded.

"Rose Tyler, I love you." The Doctor released Rose just enough to kiss her. "I have been to the beginning and end of your earth and a billion others, and I have not found one thing I love more than you."

"I love you, too, Doctor."

The Doctor stepped back from Rose but kept a hand on her arm. He studied her for a moment, remembering every detail of her. Her blonde hair, longer and wavier than a few years ago, her dark brown eyes were older, but she was still Rose. Her lips were just as kissable as they were, though. That hadn't changed. The Doctor finally released her, scratching the back of his head. "So, no one else? Not in four years?" Well, four years, six months, and three days.

"Sure, maybe a bloke here or there, but you're the only one for me, Doctor. I never even liked the other blokes. What about you? Have you got anyone else?" Rose asked shyly, pulling Rey toward her. The Doctor gave them a sad smile.

"Well, I've got a companion right now, but she's not really much to me. She's only here to make sure I don't go over the edge. I only ever loved you, Rose." The Doctor's eyes welled with tears. "Her name's Martha, by the way. She's in the kitchen with your mum."

"How did you get here, Doctor?" Rose asked, ignoring the comment of Martha. She didn't care, she knew her Doctor would never lie. She trusted him implicitly.

"Good question," the Doctor replied, bending down to Gallifrey's level again. "I think, Rose, that he brought me here. Is she your Mummy, Gallifrey?"

"Yes! I love my mummy." Gallifrey smiled up at Rose as he hugged her legs. The Doctor looked up at Rose, who was smiling sadly down at Gallifrey, tears bright in her eyes.

"Yea, I'm your mummy, aren't I, Gallifrey? That's your dad. The Doctor is your dad. And he's finally home," Rose said, her voice cracking. "He's as good as ever, isn't he, Gallifrey? Alright, in for dinner, you little monster. Go find Gran. I've got to talk to your dad for a minute, alright?"

Gallifrey nodded and bounced into the house, looking for Jackie. Rose watched him until he turned the corner of the hall, and then she stared into the empty space. She couldn't meet the Doctor's eyes. The Doctor just stared at Rose. "Rose Tyler," the Doctor started.

"No, don't talk. Let me explain, yea? About our little Doomsday kid."


	2. Chapter 2

Something about the words, our little Doomsday kid, made the Doctor freeze. Our little kid. The Doctor and Rose. His family. His son, his wife. Gallifrey. "We've come full circle, now, Rose, haven't we?" He muttered. "Right, sorry, go on."

Rose smiled a bit, confused by what he had said. "Ok, so, remember the Games, in 2012? That night, right?"

"I could never forget it, Rose," Doctor responded, a sly smile on his face.

"Well, it was that night. I realized after Doomsday, a few weeks before Norway. I didn't say anything at Bad Wolf Bay because I knew you would destroy both worlds to get to us. I couldn't do that to everyone else, just for you, my Doctor. And I wouldn't let you do that to anyone, either. I said Mum was going to have the baby because I didn't want to hurt you. I knew that you wouldn't mind leaving just me, but leaving me as a single mum? You would never intentionally do that. So, when we got home from the Bay, mum offered to pay rent on my little flat and come help on days I have to work. It's hard, but we make it work. Settling down is never how you imagine it, is it?" Rose smiled sadly as tears ran down her face. She remembered vividly the time they were orbiting the black hole and they joked about it. Settling down had seemed like such a foreign concept then, but now… now it was her reality.

"Rose, I'm so sorry. I am so, so sorry." The Doctor wanted to punch himself. It was his fault. He was the reason Rose was all alone, a single mother raising her son, living in her parents' flat.

"Don't be, Doctor. Can't you see how amazing our son is? If he's part of you, though, does that mean...?" Rose didn't finish her question, but it didn't matter. The Doctor knew what she was asking.

"I'm sorry, Rose. Gallifrey is part Time Lord, so he's a Time Lord too." Rose laughed bitterly. Her mascara was plastered on her cheeks, but she wasn't crying anymore. "It's hard, I know. I'm sorry."

"So not only will my son outlive me, but you will, too. At least you can have each other to keep company, yea? Watch after him? You'll both watch out for each other when I'm gone." Rose twined her hands with the Doctor's.

The Doctor shook his head sadly. "Don't talk like that, Rose. You're still here with us. We still need you. Who else is going to make sure we don't get killed?" Rose choked out a laugh.

"Take us to the TARDIS, Doctor. Me, you, and our son, a travelling family," Rose joked.

"No, not yet, Rose. I've still got to figure out how Gallifrey got us here, then we've gotta take Martha back home, then I've gotta find a proper alien nanny for Gallifrey—you don't want him out there with us until he's older, right? Then we'll be a proper travelling family."

The Doctor and Rose walked into the house, ready for supper. They acted as though four years hadn't passed, jostling each other as they walked, smiling at each other lovingly. It was everything the Doctor missed. Rose groaned when they walked into the kitchen and saw Jackie trying to feed Gallifrey spaghetti. It seemed like Gallifrey got the spaghetti sauce everywhere but his mouth-his shirt, his pants, his hair, his highchair, Jackie's face. It was a mess. "You know, Rose, the one thing I miss the most about being a dad? The mess," The Doctor whispered in Rose's ear. His eyes twinkled with love for his son.

"Yea? Then you can clean it up, Doctor," Rose joked, her gaze slightly more annoyed and horrified at their son.

"I think you misunderstood, Rose. I miss making the mess. Jackie looks like she can clean it up! Oh, hello, Martha. This is Rose. Rose, this is Martha, my companion."

"Hello," Rose replied. "It's nice to meet you. Have you been keeping him out of trouble, then? Keeping him alive?" She was only partially joking. She knew the Doctor's knack for getting out of control.

"Barely. I thought he almost died in 1930's New York! Got struck by lightning trying to save people being controlled by the Daleks," Martha replied. "There are more times, too, but I can't explain them all-it'd take too long." They both laughed. They knew keeping the Doctor alive was hard work, but someone had to do it. "Jackie said the little boy is your kid then, right? Who's the dad, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, yea, Gallifrey's my little boy. Our little boy, actually," Rose replied quickly, motioning to the Doctor.

"Oh. You never mentioned you had a kid, Doctor."

"He didn't know. I didn't tell him. I didn't want him to ruin everyone else's existence for me and a little boy." Rose cut in, defensive of her Doctor. She knew that the Doctor didn't like Martha as more than a friend, but Rose could tell Martha liked him. Besides, it's not like the Doctor had to tell Martha everything about him.

"Right. So, spaghetti for dinner? I love spaghetti. You know, I was there when they invented spaghetti. Helped them cook it, too. Learned I wasn't a very good cook, but you know. Can't be good at everything, I suppose," The Doctor awkwardly prattled on, trying to fill the silence that had set in.

"I think Martha and I are going to eat in the sitting room. You two better talk and clean up after your kid! He's a nightmare! Must take after you, Doctor," Jackie complained. The Doctor scratched the back of his head and waited for Martha and Jackie to get their plates of food and leave before looking apologetically at Rose.

"God, who is she, thinking you're just gonna spill everything to her! If she wasn't so nosey she'd be alright." Rose angrily shoveled spaghetti onto two plates, one for herself and one for the Doctor. "I mean, it's one thing, traveling with you, but another to act like she's automatically your best friend! It's so frustrating, Doctor," Rose exclaimed, her face stuck in a scowl.

"Rose," the Doctor started, giving her a look. "Are you okay?" Genuine concern covered his face


	3. Chapter 3

Rose ignored him as she tidied up Gallifrey's highchair. She wiped down the table part, his hands, his face, took off his bib to reveal more spaghetti sauce on his bright blue t-shirt. She sighed. "Rose, please, answer me. I want to help," the Doctor tried again.

"Alright, you want to know what's wrong, Doctor? I'll tell you. You left me _alone_ for four and a half years, Doctor. That's a long time for a human. I had to raise a son by myself through his toddler years. And, where were you? You were off in another universe! How could I explain that to my son when he asks where his daddy is? I'm not mad you didn't destroy everything to come here, Doctor, but I'm furious you think you can just waltz on in back into our lives and pretend like we didn't live without you for four years. It's not fair to me, and it's not fair to our son! So, please, Doctor, do us a favor and slow down. I can't pretend like I don't want you here, because I do, but we can't ignore the past four years, yea? I mean, you even got another companion! I'm not upset about that, Doctor, trust me. I know how badly you need someone, but don't pretend like she doesn't exist. It's not fair to anyone." Rose took a deep breath and tried not to cry. She turned back to their son and lifted him out of his highchair. "Please, Doctor, just go." He took a step towards her.

"Rose, I'm so sorry. Please, let me help clean Gallifrey up. Please, Rose. I want to be in your lives." The Doctor's face was pained. "Please." His voice broke on that one simple word.

"Fine. You can give him a bath, if you want. I'll just clean the kitchen, I suppose." Rose handed Gallifrey over to the Doctor, still a little angry. Gallifrey's eyes were wide, flickering between his mum and dad. "Your dad's gonna give you a bath, you messy boy." Rose kissed the top of his head and sent her boys on their way.

"You're not scared of me, are you, Gallifrey?" The Doctor asked.

"No. You not scawy. You daddy," Gallifrey responded. He giggled as he rubbed his messy, spaghetti-sauce-covered hands on his dad's pristine brown suit.

"Oh, your mum is right. You are one messy boy." The Doctor smiled, pushing his son's wavy hair out of his face. The Doctor frowned. "Oh, you're burning up, Gallifrey. Do you feel alright? What am I saying. You're four. And you're obviously running a temperature. Hold on a moment, kiddo." The Doctor turned around, almost running straight into Jackie. "Oh, perfect! Jackie, can you give your grandson a bath, please? I've got to talk to Rose." He handed her Gallifrey before she even opened her mouth. "ROSE!" The Doctor shouted.

"Goodness, Doctor. What's the matter, you don't remember how to give a child a bath?" Rose joked as she walked around the corner. "Oh, my God, Doctor. Where is our son?"

"Don't worry, Rose. Jackie's got him. But he's burning up. He's got to go to the doctor—a proper one, not me," the Doctor explained urgently.

"I can't, Doctor. I haven't ever taken Gallifrey to the pediatrician. I'm scared to know if he has two hearts. I mean, when I was pregnant and everything, they said they heard two, but he was born, and they didn't say anything. What's with that? I don't want them to take my son away!"

For a moment, the two of them just stared at each other in silence. Neither knew what to do. They obviously couldn't take Gallifrey to the human pediatricians, but the Doctor wasn't sure it was a good idea to take his son for a trip in the TARDIS yet, especially because the Doctor shouldn't even be in this universe. "What are we going to do, Doctor?" Rose finally broke the horrified silence.

"I don't know." For the first time he could remember, the Doctor truly didn't know what to do.

(A/N: sorry for the short chapter but I wanted to update and not do a huge information overload-chapter 4 is coming soon!)


	4. Chapter 4

The Doctor and Rose just stared at each other. They didn't know what to do. Martha walked through the hallway then, smiling a little at the old pictures of Rose and the new ones of Gallifrey. "He looks just like you, Doctor. Except his nose. His nose looks like yours, Rose." Martha didn't notice the tension in the hallway immediately. "What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked the Doctor.

"Martha, you're a doctor," he said slowly.

"Well, I will be if we ever go home," she laughed.

"How would you feel about having your own first patient, hm?" He asked, turning his head slightly.

"Depends, who's my patient? It's not you, is it, Doctor?" She said, suddenly worried.

"Oh, no, I'm fine, thanks. It's Gallifrey. He's burning up!" The Doctor said with a smile, but his dark eyes were anxious.

"Oh, I dunno, Doctor. He's alien, isn't he? How am I supposed to know what's wrong with an alien baby?"

"Please just look at him!" Rose cut in. "Please, Martha. He's my son."

"I'll look at him, but I think you need to find someone who knows what to look for." Martha motioned for the Doctor and Rose to lead her to Gallifrey.

In the bathroom, Jackie had finished giving the little boy a bath. Her hair was drenched, hanging in her face like seaweed as she pulled Gallifrey's shirt over his head. "About time the parents showed up! I'm telling you Rose, you were never this much trouble when you were little! It's got to be his genes," Jackie said, nodding at the Doctor.

"Mum," Rose interrupted. "Mum, we think Gallifrey might be sick, so we're gonna have Martha look at him. And besides, Dad's supposed to be home tonight. Go make sure the house is clean or something, yea? I love you."

"Sick? How do you mean, sick?" Jackie's face looked slightly panicked.

"Mum. Dad's almost home. Go, please," Rose demanded.

"Oh, alright, but you'd better call me when you have answers." Jackie kissed Gallifrey's head and left, sparing only a glance or two while she walked down the hall.

"Right, so, Martha, what do you need?" The Doctor asked as Rose picked up Gallifrey.

"Doctor, he's cold now," Rose said at the same time Martha said, "for starters, I need more space."

"What was that, Rose?" The Doctor inquired. Martha sighed slightly, annoyed at the Doctor's incredibly divided attention.

"Our son, Doctor. He's cold. He's not burning up at all. He's freezing!" Rose handed Gallifrey over to the Doctor. "His lips are blue!"

"Check the water temperature, both of you!" The Doctor ordered as he set Gallifrey on the counter and yanked off his coat. He gently wrapped Gallifrey in it, pulling him back in his arms.

"The water's boiling!" Rose and Martha exclaimed simultaneously.

The Doctor held Gallifrey close as he said, "we've got to put him in." Rose and Martha looked at him, horrified. He lowered Gallifrey, still wrapped in the coat, in the water. "Martha, slowly unwarp the coat. Rose, go find a thermometer. Now!" He shout-whispered, not wanting to alarm Gallifrey, who was only semi-conscious.

As Martha began unwrapping the coat she asked, "what are you gonna do, then?"

"I'm going to phone an old friend." He laughed a little maniacally and pulled out his TARDIS key. The whooshing of the TARDIS filled the hallway, blowing a slight breeze in and ruffling Gallifrey's hair. "Keep dabbing water on his face, but watch his eyes," the Doctor ordered as he went to the TARDIS. "Alright, old girl, you've gotta work for me. I know we're about two billion years and one universe away, but come on," he said quietly as he ran up to the mushroom and picked up the old off-white phone.

"Hello, this is the New New York Hospital, you are speaking to Doctor Hame. How may I serve you today?"

"Oh, yes! Perfect! Exactly who I need! Look, Novice—sorry, Doctor Hame, it's the Doctor. I've got a huge favor to ask you. It's kind of a long story, but it's an emergency. I need to come in tonight. Pediatrics."

"Oh! Doctor, it's been a while. Do stop in, we'll make room for you. It's the fifteenth of June, by the way. You're on the pediatrics schedule. Goodbye," Doctor Hame replied, and the line went dead. The Doctor slammed the phone down and rushed back into the bathroom.

"How is he, Martha?" He asked, kneeling next to the bathtub.

"He's stable. Who'd you call?" Martha asked as she used the coattails to dab more water on Gallifrey's face.

"Novice Hame. She's a doctor now, by the way. Gallifrey's got an appointment on the fifteenth of June two billion years in the future."

"I'm sorry, but did you just say Novice Hame?" Rose asked, standing in the doorway with the thermometer in her hand. "Wasn't she the nurse-cat-nun? Who tried to kill us? And she's the doctor of the place now?"

Gallifrey whimpered as his mum stuck the thermometer in his mouth, his wide brown eyes glazed, but frantically looking between his parents. "Well, yeah, but it's not that big of a deal. Not anymore, anyway. When Martha and I went there, there was this giant virus outbreak and—you know what, I'm just going to keep this story short and say Novice Hame did us a great favor and she saved everyone. Everyone but the Face of Boe," the Doctor ended a little sadly. "But anyway, she turned her life around and now she's the head doctor of a brand-new world! How amazing is that, Rose?" He asked, giving her his crooked smile. She had been frowning at him, but she couldn't hold out against that grin of his. She smiled a bit at him, but then looked down at her son. "What, Rose?" The Doctor looked down at their son and his hearts sank. There were tears running down his son's face, and his head was glowing. So were his hands and feet.

"Doctor," Rose whispered. She took the thermometer out of Gallifrey's mouth. "Doctor, is my son regenerating? Is he safe?"

"What's his temperature?"

"What?"

"WHAT IS HIS TEMPERATURE, ROSE?" The Doctor yelled.

"One hundred and twenty! Doctor! We have to do something! Get him out of the water!" Bubbles has started to form in the bathtub, boiling.

"Rose, you get him out of the water, Martha, get him a towel to dry off and another to wrap him in. Move! We've got to get him into the TARDIS and to Novice Hame. I'll get the TARDIS ready. We've got to move fast and careful. Go!" Gallifrey began to scream, but then stopped. Rose looked quizzically down at her son. His face was the same, but his eyes were closed.

"Oh, my God. Martha, please hurry," Rose called down to the laundry room.

"I'm going as quick as possible. Here! Dry him off. I'll—oh, my God. Is he okay?" Rose's eyes were filled with tears.

"Check for a pulse, Martha. I can't while I'm holding him, and I don't want to set him down. Please." Rose's voice cracked. Martha nodded and put her one hand to Gallifrey's tiny wrist and another on his neck. Rose waited for what felt like forever. "Has he got a pulse, Martha?"


	5. Chapter 5

"Yes, he does. Oh, my God, he does! I think it's only one heart right now though. Come on, we've got to get him to the TARDIS." Rose let out a sob of relief. Gallifrey was stone-still, his only movement with his tiny breaths. Martha followed Rose and Gallifrey out into the hall, where the TARDIS stood, its light on top glowing slightly.

"Rose! Come on, I think she's ready to get out of this universe!" The Doctor said loudly, trying not to startle Gallifrey. The three outside the TARDIS rushed in as the Doctor tried to explain why the TARDIS brought him to Rose and Gallifrey. "Really, it was all her," he started as he pulled on levers and smashed buttons. "She sensed another Time Lord from a whole universe away. Of course, I didn't know that until you told me about Gallifrey, but now it all makes sense! The TARDIS knew! HA! Alright, off to New New York, the fifteenth of June, the year two billion and twenty-five." The familiar whooshing sound filled Rose with a sense of comfort as she held her sick child. "Martha, would you mind finding some dry clothes for Gallifrey? Down the hall, third left, straight to the end, on your right, fourth corner of the room to your left. Go on." Martha knew the Doctor wasn't just sending her to find clothes for Gallifrey-he wanted to be alone with Rose for a few minutes.

"Sure, Doctor. No problem." She smiled and turned away, off to somehow follow the Doctor's confusing and probably wrong orders.

"Do you think he'll be alright, then?" Rose asked. She looked down at her son. He really did look like the Doctor, but she didn't realize just how alike they looked until she saw him. "As soon as he's stable, you and I need to talk. About the future. Okay?" He nodded slightly and cupped her face in one hand. She leaned into him, and it was as if no time had passed—except for the fact that Rose was holding their son. "I'm sorry about earlier, Doctor. It was rude, but I've been raising him by myself for four years. You missed all his firsts—his first steps, his first word, which was "no," by the way. You missed his first birthday. I was thinking, Doctor, and I want him to go to school. Real, proper school not just learn by experience. Of course, weekend trips to different planets can be arranged, but absolutely no dangerous experiences until he's at least in year ten." Rose laughed, carefully and quietly.

"Anything for you, Rose," The Doctor said softly and kissed her forehead. "Right, so we've got about five minutes until we make it to the other universe, so don't get too comfortable. Hopefully Doctor Hame will be there when we get there. While he's undergoing his exam, do you think we could, I dunno, talk about us?" Rose smiled at the Doctor, who was scratching the back of his head. She nodded and sat down on the old chairs by the console.

"So, why's it taking so long to get to the other universe?"

"I'm going slowly so we don't punch another hole in the universe. Can never be too careful." Rose nodded and rocked Gallifrey, who had started whimpering. "It's alright, Gallifrey, you're okay." The Doctor kneeled by Rose and Gallifrey, talking in a soft, soothing voice. "Just three more minutes, kiddo."

Time seemed to crawl, even after Martha returned with the clothes. She held onto them tightly as she saw Rose, the Doctor, and Gallifrey asleep. Rose was on the chair with Gallifrey in her lap, and the Doctor was sitting on the ground, his back against Rose's legs. Martha glanced at the console and saw that they had thirty seconds left before landing. As gently as possible, she nudged the Doctor awake. He shot straight up, reaching for his sonic screwdriver. Realizing it was only Martha, he bounced up and began attending to the console. Martha didn't even realize they had landed when the Doctor went back to Rose and Gallifrey. "Rose," he whispered. "Rose, wake up. We're here." Rose stirred a little bit before waking up, but Gallifrey was still asleep. "Here, let me take him." The Doctor held Gallifrey in one arm and took Rose's hand with the other. Martha awkwardly followed behind the trio, feeling like a fourth wheel on a tricycle: pointless and out of place.

"Doctor," Rose said just loud enough for Martha to hear. "This was where we had our first date." They both laughed.

"Oh yeah," The Doctor laughed. "Well, our first date with this face," he replied. He smiled over at her, and she smiled back. It was pleasant, except for the fact that their son was turning a sickly shade of blue. Fortunately, the TARDIS had parked itself in a parking spot of the hospital, right by the front door. Rose rushed forwards, releasing her grip on the Doctor's hand.

"Hello, I'm Rose Tyler. My son has an appointment today with Doctor Hame?" A thought suddenly hit Rose. What was Gallifrey's last name? He had been Gallifrey Tyler in Pete's world, but what would the Doctor want his name to be?

"Miss? What was his name?" The receptionist broke Rose out of her thoughts.

"Gallifrey. The Doctor called ahead, said he had an appointment? It's an emergency," Rose said.

"Yes, we have him down here. If you and your husband could follow me," The receptionist said, getting up and starting down a winding hallway towards the sign that said Emergency Pediatrics. "Here, let me take him to a room. Doctor Hame will be right with you."

"Doctor, I'm scared," Rose whispered. "What if he's not okay?"

"Then he'll regenerate, Rose. Our son is not going to die. I promise you that." The Doctor pulled Rose into his arms and she started crying. Gallifrey had been settled into a room, but the receptionist didn't tell them which. "But I trust Novice Hame to heal our son. Come on, Rose, let's go find his room."

"But they said don't wander off."

"And when has that ever stopped you, Rose Tyler?" The Doctor felt Rose laugh. She pulled away and wiped her tears, but the Doctor stopped her. "Rose Tyler, I love you. Not once in four and a half years have I stopped loving you. And I will never stop loving you. Now, let's go find our son, who will make it out of this hospital with the same face he walked in here with." He kissed her forehead. They walked, swinging their joined hands as Martha awkwardly trailed behind.


	6. Chapter 6

The buzzing of medical machines and crying of parentless children in the Emergency Pediatrics wing hurt Rose's ears. The Doctor squeezed her hand, sensing her anxiety. "Most likely war orphans. From all over. There's a war going on nearby, and this is the best hospital available. People may be terrible and murder each other over nothing, but children are the one thing everyone cares about. So, they send them to this hospital. Fix 'em up, give 'em to a family here."

"Close, Doctor. We actually try to send them home, but very few of the parents are alive, and the few that are alive are too afraid of themselves to bring their children home," a voice reprimanded from behind. "And I'm sorry, but family members only. Martha will have to wait in the lobby." Martha rolled her eyes slightly and started for the lobby.

"Doctor Hame! Oh, is it good to see you!" The Doctor gave Doctor Hame a hug. "Have you seen our son?"

"Good to see you as well, Doctor. And Rose Tyler, you must believe me, I have—"

"I forgive you. The Doctor trusts you and so I do too." Doctor Hame smiled, her cat face almost entirely grey now.

"As for your son, I have seen him. He has a terrible case of Ezulitis Greciorus Fermorta, which essentially means if he does not have a perfect temperature until he is seven years old, the age of childhood maturity for a Time Lord, he will die. His organs seem to already be failing, so we put him on an IV drip and would like your permission to operate after he is stabilized to fix his liver, kidneys, and failed heart, but that could take up to six months. We do have medication for EGF, but it can be risky and has not been cleared for Time Lords, Doctor, considering you were the only one. We haven't even seen a case of EGF in thousands of years, and you should know that young Time Lords are especially susceptible. Usually it's seen after an immense secretion of time or interdimensional travel."

"How do you mean, risky?" Rose cut in.

"Oh, well, death or petrification. It has only been seen in about fifteen percent of test patients so far, but the eighty-five percent has been completely successful. We would administer it in incredibly small doses over the next five weeks and monitor him closely. His room is completely sealed to prevent rapid temperature changes." Doctor Hame smiled at the Doctor and Rose. "I know this is a lot to take in, but please think about it. It could save his life."

A nurse with purple skin and a vast multitude of eyes came running down the hall. "Doctor Hame! He's conscious! The little boy you told me to keep an eye on! He's awake!" Doctor Hame looked at the parents.

"He's awake, but he's in a lot of pain. And he's temporarily blinded until the disease leaves him. Go see him, come back to me with an answer soon, please." Doctor Hame walked away and the Doctor and Rose allowed for the nurse to take them to Gallifrey's room. He was tossing and turning in his bed and his heartrate was erratic.

"Rey, Rey, honey, it's Mummy. And Daddy. We've come to see you. How're you feeling?" Rose's voice went soft. Her brown eyes were tearful, threatening to spill over again.

"Owie," was all Gallifrey could say. "Mummy I hurt." Tears poured out of his unseeing eyes.

"I know, baby. I know. Just close your eyes and take a little nap. Daddy and I will be back later, okay? We love you, Gallifrey." She kissed his forehead, her tears mixing with the sweat on Gallifrey's forehead.

"Gallifrey," The Doctor said, placing his hand on top of Gallifrey's head. "We are going to be back, and we will help you. I promise, and I don't break promises." The Doctor turned around and went for the airlocked door, Rose close behind. As soon as they were out of Gallifrey's room the Doctor rushed to find Martha. "We've got to go." Martha looked alarmed and shot up out of her chair.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Martha rushed to follow the Doctor and Rose as they stormed out of the hospital.

"Novice Hame said that EGF is caused by a secretion of time or interdimensional travel, right? She's right, of course. But it can also be used as a tasteless liquid or powder poison," The Doctor explained as he plowed through the hospital doors.

"You think that someone poisoned Gallifrey?" Rose was incredulous. "How long does it take for the poison to work through the body?" They had reached the TARDIS, and the Doctor pushed open the doors. He walked in and around the center console, pressing buttons and pulling levers.

"Anywhere from ten minutes to ten decades. I'm guessing someone poisoned you, Rose, and Gallifrey absorbed it in the womb after Doomsday. You kept each other alive for nine months. Now, was there anything abnormal about your pregnancy? OH! I know! You must have seen Gallifrey when he was born, right? Did they take him to surgery? Or was he a sickly colour for his infancy?" The Doctor pulled the computer around toward him and started typing.

"Well, nothing weird during my pregnancy. But when he was born he was sort of this grayish colour. I thought he was choking or something. He was like that about five or six months before he looked human. Does it mean anything?"

"It means exactly what I thought it did. Gallifrey was poisoned through you. You were poisoned, Rose, because of me. This is my fault." The Doctor collapsed into the chairs, elbows on knees, his face in his hands. "Somewhere, somehow, someone poisoned you with EGF. But the symptoms didn't present until you were pregnant with Gallifrey, and the poison moved to Gallifrey. It probably awakened after all that interdimensional travel. We have to find out when you were poisoned, Rose. I will find the alien stupid enough to mess with my family!" The Doctor was so incredibly angry, he was up and running around the TARDIS again. "Rose! We need a blood sample from Gallifrey. We can use the poison in his blood to track it to its source!"

"Doctor," Rose interrupted. "Doctor. We need to make a decision about the medicine. I want to decide before we leave. I'll talk to Novice Hame while you get Gallifrey's blood sample, but I want you to help me decide. I can't decide on my own." Rose whispered the last part.

"Rose, why don't you and the Doctor have a quick counselling session while I get a bit of Gallifrey's blood. That way, Novice Hame is distracted and you get to decide together."

"That's a brilliant idea, Martha. We've got to get going! Allons y!" The Doctor smiled at his companions and went for the door, both close behind.

"Thank you, Martha," Rose whispered. They looked up and smiled at each other, and an understanding was found between them. Both would do anything for the Doctor.


	7. Chapter 7 Part 1

The Doctor turned back to Rose and Martha and gave them a funny look. "Come on! We don't have that much time!" He looked intensely at them as they rush t him. "Good, now, Martha, we'll have to approve you as a visitor. How long do you think it'll take you to get some blood?"

"I dunno, thirty minutes? Just in case I can't find everything quick enough."

"Good. Perfect. If we aren't finished with Doctor Hame in thirty minutes, meet us at the TARDIS. Rose, shall we?" He offered her his arm as the trio walked to the receptionist desk. "Good afternoon, Miss…?"

"Linden. Miss Linden. May I help you?"

"Yes, Miss Linden. My wife and I are here for our son's consult with Doctor Hame. She said to just do a walk-in appointment when we were ready. Do you know where she is?" The Doctor asked, presenting as much confidence as possible. His psychic paper wouldn't work; it wasn't as if he needed a ticket to the hospital.

"Yes," Linden said, her cat's face quivering with suspicion. "Doctor Hame is right around the corner, room seven. Only guardians of the patient allowed," Linden sneered at Martha.

"Oh! Don't worry. I'm visiting a patient. Gallifrey. Can I go down and see him?"

"Have you got permission from the guardians?"

"Oh, of course. Gallifrey's our son. She can see him, she's his godmother." The Doctor smiled innocently. Rose's smile was forced, but she still smiled.

"Right. Gallifrey's godmother. She really wanted to see him, can she go down?" Rose tensely said. Linden's eyes danced between Rose and Martha and the Doctor. She nodded, then turned her attention to the next person in line.

Rose and the Doctor casually walked to Doctor Hame's office, while Martha sprinted up three flights of stairs to Gallifrey's room. When Martha finally reached Gallifrey's room, she realized she needed a syringe to draw his blood. A small sound of frustration escaped Martha, and she turned in frustrated circles around herself. "Come on, Martha, think! Think! You work in a hospital, where would they keep theirs?" Martha asked herself. "In the hall! In the storage room right down the hall!"

"Mummy?" Asked the frail voice from the bed. Martha turned around and saw Gallifrey, his eyes all grey.

"No, sorry. I'm Martha. I'm your nurse for the day," she replied softly. "I'll be right back." Martha rushed to the hall, found the storage room only to realize it was locked. "Stupid safety rules!" She picked one of the pins from her hair and opened it to pick the lock. "Everything else on this world is DNA based but they leave the storage room an old lock?" She wondered aloud. She couldn't complain too much; she got the lock opened and grabbed a sterile syringe off the shelf. Making sure it was hidden in her jacket, she turned to leave. "Oh, today is so not my day," Martha muttered, realizing someone had been watching her. It was an alien, of course, with spikes for eyes and a grey skin. "Hello. I'm Martha, and you are?"

"Martha. I am looking for my room. Are you a nurse?" The alien asked. "I'm Lyra, by the way, and I usually don't look like this," she laughed. "I'm in the late stages of Ezulitis Greciorus Fermorta, so I'm pretty much a goner now. Doctors can't believe I made it past age seven. Temperatures don't bother me anymore, but my eyes don't work, and I've been told my skin looks terrible."

"Lyra. Right. I'm sorry, did you say Ezulitis Greciorus Fermorta?" Martha said, shocked.

"Yes ma'am. Can you help me find my room? I'm terribly exhausted." Martha didn't know what to say. Lyra was infected with the same thing as Gallifrey, but she was in far worse condition. The grey in her skin made it look sagging and dead, and her spike eyes were splintering at the ends.

"Um," Martha gulped. "Well, I can help you to your room. But didn't they tell you about the experimental treatment for EGF? There's a young boy in room twenty oh seven with EGF and they're gonna start him on it."

"I've never heard of this drug. It must be for the newly infected. Or those they care about. See, I'm the last of my species, so they don't think I'm terribly important. I used to go by Queenie but that seemed a bit pompous for my state, wouldn't you think?" Lyra laughed, her mouth twisting into a grimace. "They say I'm wholly cured from EGF and they want to operate to get the stuff making me grey out of my system. What do you think, Nurse Martha?" Lyra tilted her head.

"Oh, actually, I'm a doctor. Not here, though. Somewhere else. But I think you should get the surgery. Anyway, I've got to go. Good luck with your surgery!" Martha started forward, but Lyra didn't move. "Erm, excuse me, Lyra. I've got to get back to my patient."

"Who are you, traveler? You're not from here, I can sense it. You're from a long, long way away. A long time ago. I've learned to sense things like this because I can't see. You're with someone I know. I remember that scent." Lyra gasped. Her hand feebly went to her heart as she laughed a little. "Oh, how I missed you! Bring me to him. Now," Lyra ordered.

"I can't. I have to help his son," Martha said, inherently knowing Lyra was talking about the Doctor. "But you can come with us. Just let me help his son first."

"He has no son. All his children died in the last great Time War." Tears escaped from Lyra's spike eyes. "He has no children. He has no mother. He has no father. No aunts or uncles. No grandparents. No cousins. But he has me, so take me to him." Lyra was panicked.

"I will. Just let me help his son!" Martha was panicking now too. She was running out of time. "His son, who is in this hospital with EGF and I just need to get a blood sample please Lyra listen to me! Whoever you are, or were, to the Doctor, you will be nothing to him if I can't help his son! He fell in love, Lyra, and had a kid. Please, I promise, I'll help, but let me help him first." Lyra and Martha's breaths were shaky. Lyra nodded, shuffling her feet in the direction Martha assumed was her room.

As soon as Lyra was out of the doorway, Martha ran to Gallifrey's room. She tried to inconspicuously hold the syringe in her jacket. She didn't want to break it or let anyone see she had it. Martha almost ran into several people on her way, not paying attention because of what Lyra had said. She tried to push Lyra out of her head. She needed to focus on Gallifrey. "Mummy?" Gallifrey croaked.

"No, it's Nurse Martha again. You're gonna feel a little poke in your arm, but don't worry, it'll be over soon. I promise." Martha stuck the needle into Gallifrey's little arm. Dark, orange-tinted blood filled the syringe. "Alright, Gallifrey, you did fantastic. You just get some rest, alright?" Martha smiled down at him and recapped the syringe. By the time she reached the door, Gallifrey was already back asleep.


	8. Chapter 7 Part 2

"Good. Perfect. If we aren't finished with Doctor Hame in thirty minutes, meet us at the TARDIS. Rose, shall we?" He offered her his arm as the trio walked to the receptionist desk. "Good afternoon, Miss…?"

"Linden. Miss Linden. May I help you?"

"Yes, Miss Linden. My wife and I are here for our son's consult with Doctor Hame. She said to just do a walk-in appointment when we were ready. Do you know where she is?" The Doctor asked, presenting as much confidence as possible. His psychic paper wouldn't work; it wasn't as if he needed a ticket to the hospital.

"Yes," Linden said, her cat's face quivering with suspicion. "Doctor Hame is right around the corner, room seven. Only guardians of the patient allowed," Linden sneered at Martha.

"Oh! Don't worry. I'm visiting a patient. Gallifrey. Can I go down and see him?"

"Have you got permission from the guardians?"

"Oh, of course. Gallifrey's our son. She can see him, she's his godmother." The Doctor smiled innocently. Rose's smile was forced, but she still smiled.

"Right. Gallifrey's godmother. She really wanted to see him, can she go down?" Rose tensely said. Linden's eyes danced between Rose and Martha and the Doctor. She nodded, then turned her attention to the next person in line.

Rose and the Doctor casually walked to Doctor Hame's office as Martha ran in the other direction. The Doctor and Rose followed the winding hall, their elbows still connected. "You called me your wife, Doctor," Rose said, finally processing what he had said. "We went straight from time travelling companions to husband and wife." A laugh escaped them. "Trust me, Doctor, we aren't husband and wife until our wedding, you hear? Proposal, church wedding, everything." They both laughed again before coming to a door way down the hall that said, Doctor Hame on it. The Doctor opened the door.

"After you," he said, looking inside. It was surprisingly cozy, with two huge, plush office chairs and a large oak desk. Doctor Hame sat behind it with her hands, in her pristine white gloves, folded in front of her. The walls were a blush pink with dark pink frames hanging, pictures of kittens and a man, also Catkind, gently holding one of them.

"Doctor, Rose Tyler, glad you returned. Please have a seat." Doctor Hame ordered.

"Doctor Hame, is that your husband? Did you get married and have kids?" The Doctor interrupted as Rose sat in one of the chairs across from Doctor Hame.

"Yes. My husband's name is Jonathan Knots and we had four children. He works in intergalactic affairs, sometimes bringing the kids home some little toy for the day," Doctor Hame said with a soft voice. "Anyway, what would you like to know about EGF?" Doctor Hame inquired.

"Well, for starters, what happens if we don't go through with the medication?" Rose cut in.

"He'll die. It's worse than we realized. If we don't get him on the medication now, Gallifrey will begin to petrify or become stone-looking and his eyes—,"

"His eyes will grow spikes and he'll be permanently blind." The Doctor took a deep breath and looked at Rose. "Isn't that right, Doctor Hame? Our son will be permanently blinded with spikes up to four feet long from his eyes. Rose, we have to try." The Doctor was in front of Rose now, holding her arms. Her eyebrows were bunched in confusion.

"Of course, Doctor, I want Gallifrey to live happily. Sit down, you old man. Doctor Hame, what are the risks of the medication?" Rose looked past the offended Doctor to Doctor Hame.

"Well, death or petrification. But it's highly unlikely. Other side affects include nausea, headaches, or dehydration."

"How long would he be on the medication? Five weeks before he's stable, yea?" Rose was gripping the arm rests, nails pushing through the pink fabric. "Then you operate and fix whatever's causing this, this EGF, yea?"

"Exactly. Now, the medicine will be administered through an IV drip, but in incredibly small doses. If he handles the first week well, we will bump up the dosage and hopefully cut a week off. And if he does well the second week, we'll bump it up again to full dosage and cut the prep time down to four weeks. At the end of the fourth week, we will check him and operate. As soon as we finish our operation, Gallifrey will be kept overnight, but can leave if he heals properly." Doctor Hame smiled at Rose and the Doctor.

"That sounds fantastic, Doctor Hame. If the Doctor and I could step outside for a moment to discuss it…," Rose trailed off.

"Of course!" Doctor Hame replied, shooing them out the door. "Talk about it! It is a big decision, but don't wait too long. I have nurses prepared to administer the medication."

The door, a bright pink on the inside and a heavy oak on the outside, slammed in their faces. They were stuck in the hallway now, staring at each other. "This sucks," laughed Rose. "We see each other for the first time in four years, and this is how we're spending out first day together? In the hospital, deciding our son's fate? God, this sucks," Rose emphasized.

"Yeah, I suppose. Rose, listen to me. We've got to get Gallifrey on that medicine,"

"Wow, alright, straight to business I see," Rose said, a sarcastic tone underlying her voice. She tucked a strand of her dark blonde hair behind her ear. It had gotten so long since she became a mum. Her dark green blouse was something she never would have worn when actually travelling with the Doctor, and her black slacks were worn and faded. They had left in such a hurry she hadn't had time to change after work. She didn't even bother changing in the TARDIS, she was too busy worrying about her son. "Doctor, what exactly happens if we don't get Gallifrey the medicine?" She asked, staring at the Doctor's vacant eyes.

"Then the worst happens, Rose," he whispered. "If we don't help Gallifrey, he will turn into a murderous monster, Rose. Our son will become a Weeping Angel. Unless we keep him on the IV, then he will become painfully blind. I'm not sure which is worse."

"I'm sorry, Doctor, but what is a Weeping Angel?" Rose had traveled across all of time and space, but she never heard of a Weeping Angel.

"The Weeping Angels are an extremely powerful species of quantum-locked humanoids that have the ability to send you back in time. They feed off your potential energy. But they only move when you're not looking," The Doctor replied, his eyes glazed over. "Rose, there is so much you still don't know about me, so much I should have told you." He leaned down and kissed her, but only for a moment. "Please, Rose, I have seen what this disease can do. Please," he whispered, his voice cracking.

"Okay," she replied. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his stick-thin frame. He hugged her, pulling her closer so they seemed to be one person. "Doctor, let's go tell Doctor Hame we decided." She sniffled, tears creating tiny rivers down her face again. "God, this is the most I've cried since Bad Wolf Bay," she laughed, drying her eyes on the hem of her shirt. The Doctor cupped her face and she smiled at him, covering his hand with hers.

"Let's go save our son," he said. He turned away from Rose and towards thee door. He took a deep breath before opening it. Rose followed him inside, glancing around at the pictures of the wall. There was what appeared to be an entire family portrait—Doctor and Mr Hame-Knots, sitting on two wicker chairs, their kids on their laps. Piles of yarn had been set around the chairs, and four out of the five kids were looking at it expectantly, the fifth looked straight at the camera, fear in its eyes.

"Ahem. Miss Tyler, if you would like to join us," Doctor Hame said expectantly.

"Sorry, yea. I just. Your children. You said earlier that you had four, but there's five in this picture. I just thought it was odd, that's all," Rose said.

"Are you accusing me of something, Rose Tyler?" Doctor Hame said indignantly. "Because I assure you, I would still have five children if I had any say in the matter. Now, Doctor, your son," Doctor Hame said, turning to the Doctor. "I assume you made a decision?" She asked as Rose awkwardly lowered herself into the chair.

"Yes. We would like the treatment. How much will it cost?" The Doctor asked.

"For an old friend? Nothing," Doctor Hame purred. "Completely free." She smiled.

"Right," The Doctor said suspiciously. "Well, I believe visiting hours are over, so Rose and I are just going to find our son's godmother and head out. See you tomorrow, bright and early!" Doctor Hame just smiled and nodded as the Doctor and Rose left the room. They speed walked to the front desk, where Martha was already waiting. "Martha! We're leaving," he shouted across the room. When they caught up to her, he asked, "have you got it?" She nodded. "Good. I think there's something going on in this hospital again. As soon as we figure out who poisoned Gallifrey, we're finding out what's happening in this hospital."


	9. Chapter 8

The trio rushed to the TARDIS, and when they got there the Doctor made a noise of indignation. "They gave her a parking ticket! Nine hundred years of time and space, and this is the first time they've given me a parking ticket!" He crumpled it up and tossed in the trash bin nearby. Shaking his head, he followed Martha and Rose into the TARDIS. Without a word, Martha handed the Doctor the syringe full of orange-tinted blood. He carefully removed the cap off the needle and squirted a few drops into a little blue dish before emptying the rest of the syringe into the TARDIS's special compartment for DNA tracking. "Now, hopefully she'll realize I'm looking for the EGF component in the blood—which, in case you were wondering, is a decreased level of lymphocytes—and not the DNA of Gallifrey." He pulled a level and pressed several buttons. The whirring noise started, and the TARDIS flung them all in different directions. As suddenly and violently as it started, it stopped. The TARDIS door flung open, revealing a red light. The Doctor and Rose stepped out, Martha close behind.

"This isn't…it can't be!" Rose exclaimed at the same time the Doctor said, "this is impossible!" They both laughed a little.

"What is it?" Martha asked. "Where are we?" They were parked in a little corner, out of the way of a man in his forties and a young, blonde girl with a man hugging her knees. "Who are they?" Martha stepped forward before the Doctor tugged her back.

"They're us," Rose supplied for her. "In two thousand and five. That's me, there, obviously, and that's Micky, hugging my knees. Oh, my God, he was such a baby! Do you remember, Doctor? Oh, you were so jealous of him," Rose whisper-laughed. "And that there's the Doctor." Rose pointed at the ninth regeneration.

"There's no way this is how you got poisoned. How did the Conscience poison you with a dead disease?" The Doctor squinted at the Conscience and the original trio. He grabbed a pair of glasses out of one of his pockets, the frame lime green and the lenses blue and pink. "No," he said.

"Let me see, Doctor," Rose whispered. He silently handed her the glasses, never taking his eyes off the Conscience. "Oh, my God," she said. Too loudly, apparently, because the old Doctor and Rose looked up. Time seemed to bend around the room, create a little fold that could change everything. "Doctor, what am I looking at?" Rose asked when everything returned to normal, the old Doctor and Rose just staring at the old TARDIS when the Conscience got mad. Through the glasses, though, Rose could see something swimming in the Conscience. It was old and grey but alive and neon lights at the same time.

"The time-space continuum, all smooshed into one little bowl of melted plastic. Of course, the energy leaves as soon as we kill it, but I'm vaccinated against EGF and Micky doesn't travel enough to let the disease take hold. He's safe." The Doctor pulled another pair of glasses out of his coat pocket and handed them to Martha, then grabbed yet another pair. He put the last pair on and the three of them waited in anticipation for the Conscience to infect Rose. The serum was dumped into the Conscience and it dried up, but not before the great swirling continuum rushed into the air, brushed past the Doctor, straight up into the night sky.

"I don't understand, Doctor. The continuum didn't touch me! How did I get infected?" Rose's face scrunched as she continued to watch her life play out. She watched as he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the TARDIS. She watched the swirling neon colors transfer from the Doctor's fingertips to hers.

"Rose," the Doctor next to her whispered. "Rose, it's my fault. Entirely my fault. I poisoned our son." His voice was quiet and raspy, coated in emotion. Tears welled in his hazel eyes behind his tinted glasses. He ripped the glasses off and shoved them in his pocket.

"Doctor," whispered Rose. "It's alright. Gallifrey will be alright, I promise."

"I was vaccinated against EGF, Rose. I wasn't even supposed to be a carrier of the disease. But the Conscience infected me, and I infected you, Rose, and you infected our son. We have to go back to him, Rose, and sit with him at least. I've only seen one or two serious cases of EGF, and I don't want our son to be one."

"Doctor," Martha cut in. "Doctor, there's another EGF case in the hospital. She said her name's Lyra." Martha looked expectantly at the Doctor. His face went from passive and angry to shocked and angry.

"Did you say Lyra?" He asked, his voice incredulous. "We have to go back, now." The old Doctor and Rose had left nearly fifteen minutes ago, so they were safe to move around, but the Doctor ushered them all back in the TARDIS. The old whooshing noise started up as soon as the door closed, as if she knew where they needed to go.

"Doctor, who is Ly—," Rose started, but was cut off by the Doctor.

"Don't say her name. Names are a dangerous thing, Rose, and hers is deadly. Call her Queenie only. You too, Martha. Her name's Queenie." The Doctor sat on the chairs by the console, thinking about his first trip without Rose. With Shakespeare. And how she wasn't there, but she was, in his memory, and those blasted witches knew that and tried to use her name against him. "Names are a dangerous thing."

"Alright, then. Who's Queenie?" Rose asked. Just then, the TARDIS landed in their parking space again. The Doctor rushed out of the TARDIS, and Martha and Rose had no choice but to follow. He marched straight up to the receptionist, Miss Linden, and started talking.

"Alright, Linden, you're going to tell me which room Lyra Queenie is in, and you are going to allow me access. Now." The Doctor's face was angry and closed-off, his voice clipped.

"I'm sorry, Miss Linden, he's had a bad day. We're here to visit Miss Queenie, and he hasn't seen her in a while. He's a bit upset with her, but he really does need to see her," said Rose behind him. Linden nodded and told him the room number and he rushed to it. "We're just here to visit Gallifrey." Martha and Rose smiled and walked to Gallifrey's room, trying to ignore the crying children in the hall.


	10. Chapter 9

Lyra paced her room. "Let me out, you monsters!" She yelled at the walls. The nurses had stopped listening to her cries a long, long time ago. Almost eight hundred and ninety-seven years ago, to be exact. "Let me out, torturers! You hurt me, let me die!"

"Now, Lyra, why would you do that, when I'm right here?" Asked a voice from the door.

"Is that really you? Brother?"

"Don't say that here, Queenie. My chosen name is the Doctor."

"I think you'll always be Brother. Or, better yet, Caelum. You picked that name, remember?" Lyra asked as she moved towards her brother. "It isn't your real name, of course, but you loved it. You always went by Cael when we were little. Do you remember when we went to the TARDIS garden and you wanted to fly one so badly they actually let you sit inside? I remember. I remember when I first got sick. Morae just thought it was a little sickness. Delphinus said it was serious. Did they ever get back together after that?"

"No, Lyra. Mum and Dad never spoke again, except to pay for the TARDIS. They're gone, now. So are Monroe and Jaylee and Torah. All of them, dead. In the blink of an eye, they died." Lyra put her fragile grey hand on the Doctor's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Cael."

"It's the Doctor now," he replied.

Lyra paused before speaking again. "They told me, you know. As soon as I asked about it, they told me. I remember when Monroe took me here in his TARDIS. He said they had the best medical care in the whole of the universe. When he left, I was only five. Five years old, Cael. And my big brother left me in a strange galaxy with doctors who poked and prodded me with needles and machines. Monroe was only fifteen. He thought that the doctors here were going to cure me, bring me home. And then I found out what happened. And the doctors here did not care if I made it home alive because I have no home to go to. So, forgive me, Caelum, if I cannot call you a doctor."

"I'm sorry, Lyra. I was only five too, you know. When you left. I don't really know you. You're my sister, but you're not. I built my own family on Gallifrey, without Morae or Delphinus. Or you, or Monroe or any of our siblings. But I built my own family, Lyra. You are welcome to be a part of it, but I need to save my son before I save a stranger."

"You couldn't even save your home planet, Caelum. What makes you think you could save a life?"

"Because there was nothing left of Gallifrey when I burnt it. My son is here and alive and will be well. He is not a dead stranger, Lyra, and I don't want you to be either. So, tell me how to get him through this disease." Lyra crinkled her nose.

"They tell you the logistics of the disease, but never what it's like. I can see, but it's difficult. I can see you all grown up, with your messy brown hair and dark eyes and need to shave, God. You look tired, Brother. I can't feel anything, but I know it's there. It's odd. There's your shoulder, skinny as a pole, under my palm, and I see it, but I do not feel it. If I look away, I can sense it. But I don't feel anything. I almost became a Weeping Angel. Take me to your son, Cael, and let me meet his mum, and I will be content, and I will help you in any way I can." Lyra held her breath. She needed to know her twin brother and needed to know why they survived out of everyone on Gallifrey. "Please, Caelum. Please," she begged.

"Alright. I'll take you to my son. You don't touch him, though. He's still incredibly sick and we're trying new cures for him, but be careful, Lyra." The Doctor grabbed his sister's hand and led her through the halls, twisting and turning until they reached the emergency pediatrics wing. "Rose?" The Doctor called. He went from room to room, glancing in each. He finally came to a sealed room, and inside he could see his son lying on the bed, Rose sitting in the chair next to the bed, and Martha moving around the room, organizing. "See the blonde girl there, Lyra? That's Rose. She's his mum. That's Martha, the one you met earlier. For a while, I lost Rose, and Martha travelled with me. We're taking her home soon." The Doctor slid open the pressurized door. Rose turned around and saw him first. She jumped up and ran to give him a hug, and he returned it just as fiercely.

"Doctor, his color is normal! Look," Rose said, leading him to their son. "Look, his skin is perfectly healthy. He's still sleeping, though, but he hasn't had any issues since we put him on the medication," she explained, smiling down at Gallifrey.

"Rose, this is Queenie. Queenie, Rose Tyler. You've met Martha already." The Doctor turned to Gallifrey. "And this is my son," he said softly, putting a hand on his son's forehead. "No fever." Lyra gazed through her cone eyes enviously.

"Cael get me on that medication."

"I can't, Lyra. I don't have the money to, and neither do you. You don't have anyone to monitor you, and this isn't tested for adults. You aren't even alive anymore, Lyra. You're moving stone!" Lyra frowned. Just then, a nurse—this one from Raxacoricofallapatorius—came in. In a buzzing voice, she announced, "visiting hours are over, all except patients are asked to leave, thank you," and left. Rose kissed the top of her son's head and the Doctor squeezed his hand. They walked side by side, their hands intertwined, but in a somber way. Martha walked a bit ahead of the pair. When they reached the TARDIS, they all sat inside a bit pathetically by the console on the ground.

"We ought to take you home, Martha. You've got a medical degree to get. We'll keep you updated on his condition, but let's take you home." The Doctor tried to be energetic and cheerful, but it didn't work. He slowly moved some levers and gently hit buttons. Even the TARDIS sounded tired. They reached Martha's flat and hugged her goodbye. "You'll make a fantastic doctor, Martha. Doctor Jones. It's got a nice ring to it," the Doctor smiled. He hugged Martha one last time before letting her out the door.


End file.
